Divorce has become such an expensive process in Ireland that many young people are forced to rely on the Bank of Mum and Dad to pay for it. 

Since the passage of the 38th amendment to the Constitution in 2019, married couples may seek a divorce if they have been living apart for at least two of the previous three years. 

However, legal wrangling means a divorce can drag on for years and legal mediator Michelle Brown said it is “hard to imagine how they get so expensive so quickly, but they do”. 

“There were literal procedural pieces in place - which is letters back and forth, correspondence - and one lady, one side, had spent €26,000,” she revealed on Newstalk Breakfast. 

“That's... because of the lack of engagement from the other party and because of the necessary procedures that we have in place that people are forced to go through.”

1995 divorce referendum. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Ms Brown added that many people cannot afford to pay for spiralling costs out of pocket and are forced to ask their family for help. 

“Ordinary people who are dealing with borrowing from the bank of Mum and Dad or having spent their inheritance on dealing with this and getting nowhere are suffering,” she said. 

“So, what can we do to help those parties? The Government can do an awful lot.

“If the person within a reasonable period of time does not engage, we need to change the system. 

“The system is allowing for this high costs; we also can allow for mandatory mediation for separating couples and that is something I'm calling for.”

Reform

Despite this, Ms Brown believes there is “huge resistance” from professionals to changing the system around divorce. 

“In my experience in dealing with this, the only people that are benefiting from these protracted cases are the professionals in the space,” she explained. 

“The Government needs to step in - we need to create awareness. 

“People who are dealing with divorce… they're dragged into these cases that take up so many years of their lives. 

“They're spending so much money and they're dealing with difficulties with their children and so on for years to come.”

Main image: Divorce paperwork. Picture by: Alamy.com.